MEPS - Bilingual Field Interviewer Details

MEPS - Bilingual Field Interviewer

WESTAT - Houston, TX

Employment Type : Full-Time

Westat is currently seeking motivated and detail-oriented individuals to collect data on the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in Harris County. MEPS, a study of health care costs and usage in the United States, is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Every year since 1996, MEPS has collected data on specific health services that Americans use, how frequently they use them, the cost of these services, and how they are paid for, as well as data on the cost, scope, and breadth of health insurance held and available to the U.S. population.

MEPS bilingual Field Interviewers conduct interviews with adult members of households that are part of a nationally representative sample. In-person interviewing is the primary mode of data collection. However, when approved by their supervisor, Field Interviewers may conduct interviews with some households by telephone. Bilingual Field Interviewers are responsible for contacting these households by phone and/or in person to gain cooperation; for example, setting up appointments and conducting interviews using a Westat-provided laptop computer. Bilingual interviewers must be fluent in both spoken and written English and Spanish. Field Interviewers report regularly to a field supervisor, complete and submit administrative paperwork, and comply with data security and confidentiality requirements.

Protecting the health and safety of our employees and survey participants is a top priority for Westat. Based on recommendations from the CDC and other public health authorities, we require staff to protect and monitor their health while working on their assignment. The use of personal protective equipment, regular testing for COVID-19, or other screening activities is required. As a federal government contractor, Westat will require staff to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 upon hire or prior to December 8, 2021, whichever is later, and to follow all safety protocols, subject to approved accommodations under applicable law.

Basic Qualifications
Candidates must

• Be 18 or older (or an emancipated minor) with the ability to enter binding confidentiality agreements to protect project information;
• Be available to complete a web-based home study training prior to completing an extensive virtual training program; and
• Be available to complete extensive virtual training, including scheduled synchronous sessions, from January 24 through February 4, prior to beginning the data collection work.

Minimum Requirements

• Be fluent in both written and spoken English and Spanish. Must successfully complete Westat’s language assessment protocols;
• Reside in the geographic location determined by the project;
• Be available to work during the two data collection field periods: one from January through mid-July, and one from late July through early December;
• Be available to work a minimum of 25 hours per week, including daytime, evening, and weekend hours, and complete a minimum of four interviews per week when work is available until the assignment is complete;
• Must work flexible hours, based on the preferences of households in the assignment;
• Be willing to travel locally to your MEPS assignment during in-person interviewing. When approved by their supervisor, field interviewers may conduct interviews with some households by telephone;
• Be able to meet the physical requirements of the position with or without reasonable accommodations, which include lifting and carrying 20 pounds of equipment and materials; walking several blocks; and climbing stairs while carrying equipment to gain entry to sampled households;
• Have unlimited regular and reliable access to a high-speed internet connection for data transmission and virtual trainings;
• Have regular and reliable access to an insured vehicle;
• Have a valid (current) driver’s license that is not under suspension; and
• Have strong interpersonal and communication skills, as well as the ability to understand complex oral and written instructions and adhere to study protocols.

Preferred Criteria

• Able to read, write, and communicate effectively in English;
• Experience using a computer, smartphone, and/or tablet, with skills including connecting to Wi-Fi, conducting web searches, and using/sending email on a mobile device;
• Have CAPI experience/previous interviewing or public contact experience;
• Have telephone interviewing/cold calling experience;
• Have good recordkeeping, time management, and follow-up skills;
• Be comfortable working in unfamiliar locations, knocking on doors, and communicating with people from all kinds of backgrounds and socioeconomic groups;
• Have experience using internet applications to find information including GPS mapping services; and
• Be enthusiastic, self-motivated, and detail-oriented.

FaceTime or MS Teams may be used to conduct interviews with candidates for this position.

Any offer of employment may be contingent upon receipt of acceptable results from a post-offer background screening, if required for the specific position, which may include, for example, identity verification, employment history, motor vehicle driving record history, and criminal or sexual offender records history.

This federal government project is subject to the Service Contract Act (SCA). The hourly rate for this position is determined by the location where work is performed. The hourly rate for this location is $17.79. In addition to hourly pay, a Health and Welfare payment of $4.60 per hour, which may be reduced based on group benefit elections, will be paid weekly for up to 40 work hours per week. This is a part-time non-exempt position not initially eligible for health insurance. This position is eligible for overtime pay, sick leave, paid vacation, and holiday leave, and may qualify for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) based on hours worked.

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status under applicable law.

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